Process of steroid fermentation



, PmtmQ 2,982,693. 7 PROCESS or STEROID FERMENTATION *JoseplrJacoli Goodman,;Nanuet, and Mary Matrishin,

PearlRiver, N.Y.,' assignors to American .C'yanamid Company,.New York, N.Y., a corporation of Maine :NoDrawing. r led Aug. 4,1958, Ser. b. 753,159

8 Claims. (Cl. 19551) amcinolone. In'the preparation of these compounds from simpler steroids, it is necessary toput a hydroxyl group in the 16-position. This step can be accomplished by fermentation with Streptomyces roseochromogenus on a small scale using glass,- stainless steel or glass lined equipment. However when attempts are made to carry out the reaction in large scale iron tanks, an undesirable byproduct is produced as the major product of the fermentation.

novel process which is superior to current methods of An object of this invention is to provide a new andf preparing such 16a,17m-dihydroXy-20-keto steroids of the I pregnane series in the presence of iron, whereby improved yields of the desired compounds can be recovered free of undesirable by-products. a

A further object of this invention is to provide a process for preparing 1i6-hydroxylated compounds of the l7a-hydroxy-20-keto steroids of the pregnane series in .i -ron'tank sjthusi eliminating the need for expensive stainless steel-orjglasslined equipment and facilitating the economical commercial production of the desired com- ,peunds free from unwanted by-products.

1'11 "order tol realizje the objects of this invention, the

foil wing'procedures'were carried out:

' (A)' Stopping"thefermentation inany p'articular instance, before an appreciable amount of an undesirable by-product is :formed, would not be used since such byproducts begin to; form shortly after steroid addition.

(B) .The use of anodic protection, utilizing magnesium metal, zi c metal,;magnesium alloy and galvanized wire failed toprevent by-product formation.

(C) Theuse-of chelating agents such as Na; Versene and ia specific iron chelati'ng agent'Versene Fe Specific qrthr .Qhsin l QQ- '.t the. erme ta o medium. in the proportionsof 0.01% ..and 0.05% was not successfulr' r "('D)'Ih'e use'of iron complexing' agents such as 1000- 5000 p. p.m. of sodiumicitrate (t iSodium salt), 700-1000 pLpn'n. ofpotassium .thio'cyanate, 10-100p.p.m. of so- .diumfluofideand] p.p.m.,o'f phenyl mercaptooxadiazole did notPpreVent by-product-formation.

- (E) The use ofialcohols such as methanol and ethanol We have now found unexpectedly that an excess of v, v

phosphate ions such asffor'example, that produced by Patent Mex 9 1 .dipotassium hydrogen phosphategKgHPOi is' highly eflfetive in preventing thei f ormation of undesirablefby products. 1 j q {I j The phosphates found useful in our process are soluble phosphates defined as those phosphorus-compounds' and their polymershavinga valence offive and whose oxyacids have 'P O as theiranhydride. Examples offtliese are orthophosphates, pyropho'sphates, metapho-spha s' and.

polyphosphates as shown hereinafter in the examples;

Another unexpected discovery is the factthat'the presence of a small amount of a soluble phosphate-in the fermentation medium above'that suflicient to combine with calcium and magnesium andsecondly with any iron present prevented theformation of unwanted by-products. Calcium and magnesium form insoluble phosphates so confirmation of the theory that soluble phosphates-"are inactivated (by precipitation) is obtained by -ca 'rrying on fermentations in media containing no added calciuni' 'or hydroxy-4-pregnene-3,20-dione; -F3=9a fluoro 115,160,

l70,21-tetrahydroxy-4 pregnene-3,20 dione; F3'a=undesired compound (D-homo steroid). 7 1 V The examples hereinafter show that it is desirable to have phosphate ions presentqbefore the steroid substrate is added to the fermentation medium, as once the undesirable compound (D ho rno steroid) is formed, is

not reconverted to the desired compound H I a. XAMPLE 7 An inoculum of S. roseochromogenus (ATCC No. 3347) is prepared using sucrose, 30 grams; corn steep liquor, 20 grams; ammonium sulfate [(NHQ SOJ 2 grams; calcium carbonate, 7 grams and water to make 1000 ml. A sample of ml. of this medium is placed in each of a series of 500 ml. Erlenmeyer flasks and sterilized by autoclaving under fifteen pounds per square inch pressure. A loopful of spores from an agarslant of S. roseochromogen us is added to the sterile medium in each flask. The flask containing the inoculated medium is incubated at 265 C. for twenty-four hours on a rotary shaker.

A 2 ml. portion of the vegetative inoculurn is placed separately to each fermentationflask, 0.2% v./ v. S O mil liliter portions of this medium are placed in 250 Erlenmeyer flasks and'0.l ml. lard oil added to each' flask. The flasks and their contents are then sterilized by autoclaving for twenty minutes under fifteen pounds per square inch pressure. The 50 ml. sample of the sterilized fermentation medium inoculated with two ml. of the vegetative inoculum is incubated for twenty-four hours at 265 ,C. on a' rotary shaker operating atv 180 revolutions per minute. I

At the termination of a twenty-four hour growth period, 9a-fluoro-l 1 8,l7a,21-trihydroxy-4-pregiiene-3,20- dione is added to the flasks in dimethyl-formamide solution so that the finalconcentration of the steroid substrate in the flasks is 500 /mL, and the dimethylformamide concentration in the flasks is not more than 2%: Fermentation is then continued at 265 C., and samples are removed periodically. The mash is subjected to difierential solvent extraction to separate the starting material iron; the productz-pbtained. The steroid content of the Further experiments at both the 500 and 1000 'y/ml.

' substrate levels showed a similar eifect.

of F2 is retarded. At the 500 7/ ml. level, one gram/ liter of KH PO prevents formation of the undesired D-homo g A further experiment is carried out as described in Example 1 using the same inoculum and fermentation .medium and conditions with one variation in that differ- .ent amounts of KH PO are added to the fermentation ,medium beforesterilization.

i F3 =9a-fluoro-1 1fl, 16a, 17a, 21-tetrahydroxy-4-pregnene-3, 20-dione. 3 F3a=Undesired compound (D-horno steroid). Conversin=converting starting material to new product.

7 Chromatographic assays above show the general trend that as .KH PO- is added to the medium where iron is present, the conversion of F2 to F3 is slowed down,

but the presence of the undesired compound (D-homo I steroid) is reduced.

extracts is then assayed pqlargraphically for content of I 5 steroid and at 1000 /ml. substrate, three grams per liter original substrate, the desired product (9a-fluoro-1 15,1611, of KH PO formation of D-homo steroid is prevented. ,l 'lggZltetrahydroxy-4 pregnene-3,20edione) or undesired :DIh mO s e id. Y I 0' I I EXAMPLE 3 ;aliquot portion is a so extracted withethyl acetate, I the solvent removed and the .dried residue taken up in 10 eXpenment sumlar 1 x p e 2 ar o t nothersolvent and paper chromatographed in a variety z Qr s the Source O P p In t T630- of Y. I 7 der the conditions described b v 500 tion conversion proceeded favorably due to the higher pH tbr .stariting steroid is converted into the desired f r t n qn rr at .9 11 M T11 16 17 21 ah 1n the presence of iron 1s eliminated. v The results ob- 3, -dione at-the rate of 90-l00% in forty-eight hours 15 tamed are as follows: I with'smallloss in total steroidcontent. fllne procedure outlined above is followed, with the exception that a four inch pieceof fourteen gauge iron Iron Wire Absent Iron Wire Present I wire-similar tothat used for. thermocouples and bent to K2HPO4 v fit to'thelinside of the Erlenmeyer flask containing the 20 gn1./l. Conver- I Denver; fermentation medium is added to the medium before f g Identltyz' l f t f f" d t tY= sterilizationf The major product obtained is not 9a I I ,fluoro 116,1 605171111 tetrayhydroxy 4-pregnene-3,20- ,diongbutis ,an unwanted by-product having the D-homo 9 2 :3 f Fag-a structure in the Ring D. The presence of iron gives an 25 8g gganfamt undesired product instead of the desired steroid. 5IIIII 100 100, E31

"The desired product, 9a-fluoro-11 8,l6a,17a21-tetrahyv .droigye4-pregnene-3,ZO-dione (F3), can be distinguished 1 Conversion-determined by a polarog raphic method.

uqdgsired Dfhomo steroid in Bush Y $3: i e hg g ti i hfi ghiomatography,also. paper chromatographic systems by 1ts greater polarity, Predominant1y Fae. Some F2 and F3-present. Ii. e., it is less mobile. 4 only F3 was v Mobility in terms of R;

Substance System A System B System 0 I System D I Benzene, 4 Parts Benzene, 2 Parts Benzene, 2 Parts Benzene, 2 Parts I Dloxane, 1 Part Ethanol, 1 Part Ethanol, 1 Part Acetone, 1 Part Glacial Acetic Water, 2 Parts Water, 1 Part Water Acid, 1 Part Water, 2 Parts F3 e 6.22 n. 19 0.24 0.52 F38 0.13 0. 099 0.12 oao EXAMPLE 2 EXAMPLE 4 Following the procedure of Example 1 with the variation that under sterile conditions there is added three grams per liter K HPO after the conversion of 9u-fluoro- 115,17a,21-trihydroxy-4-pregnene-3,20-dione to 9a-fluo'ro- 1lB,16u,1.7 t,21 tetrahydroxy-4-pregnene-3,20-dione has proceeded in the usual manner for twenty-four hours. Quantitative paper chromatographic assays show the following results:

Iron wire present in all cases PHOSPHATE ADDED TWENTY-FOUR Hounsnr'mnn SUBSTRATE ADDITION Norm: 7 I i I V I I i 1. F3a formed by 24 hours in the presence of iron increases by 481mm: (37%78%). The F3 formed by 24 hours appears toidecreajse (347 -1692,). 2. Whenphosphate isadded the Fsatormedbyzthoursremains constant (3 7 %33%). The F3 ncreases (2;1% 5 0%).' M

The conversion I ,B ubstrate .No Iron Wire Iron Wire Iron and 3 g./1.

. KQHPOA Hydroortisone 'lfia-hydroxycorrespond- 16a-hydroxy hydrocorti-; ing D-homo hydroeortisone. compound sone. lla-hydroxy 11a, IGo -(iido 11a, ISa-di- 'Substance 8;... 'hydroxy Subhydroxy Substances. stances, A -hydrov ISa-hydroxy do lfia-hydroxycortisone n -hydro- A -hydrocortisone. cortisone,

; EXAMPLEG alvThe following experiments were carried out as in Example 1 using various' phosphate'compounds and test;- ing at a P (phosphate) level equal to 3 g. /l KgHPO A fermentation medium is prepared containing soy bean oil meal (5 grarns),,corn steep liquor (20 grams), cerelose (30 grams), Calcium carbonate (7 grams) and water to make 1000 ml. 50 ml. Aliquot portions of the above medium are placed in 250 ml. Erlenmeyer flasks and 0.1 ml. of lard oil added to each flask. The flasks and their contents are sterilized in an autoclaving for twenty minutes under fifteen pounds per square inch pressure. An inoculum of S. roseochromogenus such as described in Example 1 is then added to each flask of medium described above. The flasks are allowed to ferment following the addition of the steroid substrate 9a-fluoro-11,6,l7a,21-trihydroxy-4-pregnene-3,20-dione as described in Example 1'. The product obtained in almost quantitative yield is 9a-fluoro-11fl,16a,17u,21-tetrahydroxy-4-pregnene-3,20-dione. y In a fermentation reaction similar to that described except that a four inch piece of fourteen gauge iron wire is added to the fermentation medium before sterilization, the product obtained is the undesired by-product of indefinite structure having the D-homo structure in ring D of the steroid nucleus.

EXAMPLE 8 To demonstrate that there is a proportionality between the amount of calcium and the amount of phosphate necessary to prevent F3a formation, the following experiment in which iron wire was present in all variables was run. To a basal medium prepared according to the formula starch 40 gm./l. and corn steep liquor 25 gm./l., varying amounts of CaCO and K HPO were added. Fifty ml. aliquots of medium were placed in 250 ml. Erlenmeyer flasks containing the iron Wire, 0.1 ml. of lard oil was added to each flask', and the contents were sterilized by autoclaving for twenty minutes at 15 p.s.i. The flasks were inoculated with S. roseochromogenus, and the conversion was carried out as in Example 1. The presence or absence of D-homo steroid formation are At 1 and 3 gm /l., 'CaCO all phosphate levels effectively'prevent theundesirable D-homo steroid formation. At 5 gm./l. CaCO it requires ,3,gm./l. of phosphat etopreven't D-homosteroid formation.

"3;: EXAMPLE9 if.

Infan inter"me'diate sized 30 liter tank made of ainless steel, no or'negligible amounts of the D-homo steroid d whem however, lengths of iron wire are U thelstainless steel tanks to provide a liquid "volume surface area exposure equivalent to that found in the larger tanks, and the conversion is thenfcarried outins ich modified'tanks, the D-homo steroid is formed. Thef'additidnfofi .3 gm./l. *K HPO to the medium in mesgpw ned tanks results in theelimination'of the D homosteroid p "Aftypical build-up cycle for these .pilot'plant experirnents is' as1 follows: A v 'Sporesj of S. roseoch romogenus grown on aisuitable agar slant medium (such as Bennettsjagar) are transferred,to. 'a ml. of sterile medium in a 500 ml. flask. IThemediumconsists of corn steep liquor, 20 g./l.; CaCO 7 .g./l.; sucrose, .30 g./l. and (NH SO 2 g./l. Theino culated medium is shaken on a reciprocating shaker for tivehty-four'hours at 27 C., after which the total"c'ontent' s are" transferred to 6 liters of a similar medium contained in a 9 liter bottle. The bottle is areated with 0.3 c.f.m. of air and incubated for twenty-nine hours at 27 C. The inocumum is then used to inoculate the aerated tanks 30 liters (per 60 liter tank) at the rate of one liter of inoculum per 30 liters of medium. Media in the 30 liter batches consisted of soybean, 20 g./l.; cerelose, 35 g./l.; calcium carbonate, 2.5 g./l. and soybean oil 2.5 ml./l. The alternative medium which can be used consists of corn steep liquor, 20 'g./l.; soybean meal6 g./l.; cerelose, 25 g./l.; calcium carbonate 7 -gm./l. and Nopco 2226B (antifoam), 2 ml./1.

After a twenty-four hour growth period, the steroid, F2 dissolved in dimethyl formamide, is added to the medium in tanks at such a rate as to result in a final steroid concentration of 250400 mg./rnl. Chromatographic analyses of the fermentation show that regardless of medium used, with iron exposed in the tanks, the D-homo compound is a substantial or major product. However, with the addition of 3 g./l. K HPO to the medium, little or no D-homo steroid is produced, and the desired 16- hydroxy steroid is obtained.

In another experiment, aliquots of twenty-four hour growths in 1000 gallon iron tanks are aseptically transferred to the 30 gallon stainless steel fermentors, steroid is added, and the fermentation allowed to proceed. In this experiment, the D-homo steroid is a substantial product showing that there is enough iron picked up from the large tanks to subsequently result in D-homo steroid formation in the stainless steel tanks.

We claim:

1. An improved process for the preparation of 9afluoro 1lfi,l6a,17a,2l tetrahydroxy 4 pregnene- 3,20-dione in the presence of iron which comprises ferrnenting 9a fluoro l1fl,17oc,21 trihydroxy 4 pregnene-3,20-dione in a medium capable of growing Streptomyces roseochromogenus in the presence of 3-5 gms. per liter of dipotassium hydrogen phosphate.

.2.- An improved process for the preparationrof 9dfluoro 11B,160t,17oz,21 tetrahydroxy 4 .-pregnene- 3,20-dione in the presence'of iron which comprises fermenting 9a fluoro 11,B,17oc,21 trihydroxy 4 -pregnene-3,20-dione in a medium capable of growing Strep- -tomyces roseochromogenus in the presence of at least 3-5 grnspper liter of potassium dihydrogen phosphate.

3. An improved process for the preparation of -90:- fiuoro- 11-,B,16oz,17cc,21 tetrahydroxy 4 pregnene- 3,20-dione in the presence of iron which comprises fermenting 90c fluoro 11B,11u,21 trihydroxy 4 pregnene-3,20-dione in a medium capable of growing Streptomyces roseochromogenus in the presence of at least 3-5 gins. per liter of 'dibasic ammonium hydrogen phosphate. i 4. In a process for the preparation of 16a,17udihydroxy-20-keto steroids of the pregnane series by fermentation of the corresponding 17a-lhydroxy-20-keto steroid with a specie of the genus Streptomyces in the presence of both iron as a trace element and'phos pha'te radical in not more than 0.1%, the improvement which coma prises fermenting with Streptomyces rdseocliromogenus in the presence'of at least 3 grams per litero'f soluble phosphate.

5. In a process for the preparation of 9a-fluoro- 11fl,16a,17ot,21 tetrahydroxy 4 pregnene 3,20 dione by fermentation of 9a-fluoro-l1B,-I7oz,21-triliydIQXy-4- pregnene-3,20-dione with a specie of the genus Streptornyces in thepresence of both iron as a trace element and phosphate radical in not more than 0.1%, the improvement which comprises fermenting with Streptomyces roseochromogenus in the, presence of at least 3 grams per liter of soluble phosphate.

6. In a process for the preparation of 11p,16,17a,21- tetrahydroxy-4-pregnene-3,20-dione by fermentation of 11fi,17ot,21 trihydroxy 4 pregnene 3,20 dione with a specie of the genus Streptomyces in the presence of both iron as a trace element and phosphate radical in genus in the presence of atleast, 3

not more than 0.1%,.the improvement which comprises fermenting 1 .with Streptomyces roseclu qmogerms, in the beaten-defer 'at least. 3 grams ,per 1iter,, 'of solublephosphatef it f I 7. In a process forthe preparation of}1.1,a, 1166i,1'f7q,2l-

tetrahydroXy-4 pr'egnene-3,ZO-dione by i fermentation of 1 la,17a,2 1 trihydroxy 4 pregnene 3,20 dione' with a specie of the genus Streptomyces in the presence of both iron as a trace element and phosphate radical in not more than 0.1%, .theimprovement which comprises fermenting withstrepromyces,roseochromqgen cs in the presence of at least 3 grams per liter of soluble phosphase. I 8. In a process for the preparation of 11fi,16a,l7cc, 21- tetrahydroxy-l,4-pregnadiene-3,20-dione by fermenting of 11111701.,21 trihydroxy 1,4 pregnadiene 3,20- dione with a specie of the genus Streptomyces in the presence of both iron as a trace element andphosphate radical in not more than-"0.1%, the improvement which comprises fermenting .with Streptomyces roseachromograms per, liter of soluble, phosphate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 2,709,705 Perlman et a1. May 31, 1955 2,838,545 Magerlein et 'al. June 10, 1958 2,855,343 Fried et al. Oct. 7, 1958 2,903,398 Kita et a1. Sept. .8,

OTHER REFERENCES Perlrnans et al.: J.A.C. S., 74, April 20, 1952, p. 2126. Vischer et al.: Helvetica Chimica Acta, 1954, pp. 321- Fried et al.: J.A.C.S. (1955), 77, p. 4181.

Haineset a1. Aug-"18,4953

M with x UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,982,,693 May 2, 1961 Joseph Jacob Goodman et al.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent. should read as corrected belo'w.

Column 4 Example 4, in the table, last column under the heading "Percent", first line gojjfiosite "F2.. insert 6 second line opposite "F3" insett 15 third line opposite "FSa" insert 78 column 6,, line 40, for "a'reated" read aerated line 4L2 for "inocumum" read inoc-ulum line 44, after "soybean" and before the comma insert meal column 7 line ll for "11 read 17a Signed and sealed this 10th day of October 1961.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer h Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC" 

1. AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF 9AFLUORO - 11B, 16A, 17A,21 - TETRAHYDROXY - 4 - PREGNENE3,20-DIONE IN THE PRESENCE OF IRON WHICH COMPRISES FERMENTING 9A - FLUORO - 11B,17A,21 - TRIHYDROXY - 4 - PREG NENE-3,20-DIONE IN A MEDIUM CAPABLE OF GROWING STREPTOMYCES ROSEOCHROMOGENUS IN THE PRESENCE OF 3-5 GMS. PER LITER OF DIPOTASSIUM HYDROGEN PHOSPHATE. 